10 hidden GEMS of Crimea you didn't know about (PHOTOS)

1. ‘General’ beaches

This long coastal area near the town of Kerch is commonly known as the ‘coast of a thousand bays’. Each has its own name – the ‘Bay of Joy’, the ‘Bay of the Wanderer’, ‘Mulberry’, ‘Cow’, ‘Badger’, ‘Ivanova’, ‘Lilac’, etc. You won’t find two the same.

In Soviet times, there was a military base in these places, so entry onto the territory was strictly prohibited. Locals have come up with a legend that the army's top commanders and their families actually rest on the magnificent beaches there. Hence the name ‘General Beaches’.

2. Cape Fiolent

In this place not far from Sevastopol, it's hard to believe that you're in Russia, as the local landscape resembles the best places in Greece. Azure waters and picturesque cliffs are becoming more and more popular among vacationers every year.

Cape Fiolent has many natural and cultural attractions that will plunge you headfirst into other eras, such as the picturesque ‘Diana's Grotto’, St. George's Monastery, the ‘Dragon Rock’ and Pushkin's rotunda, which recalls the poet's visits to these places.

3. Mountain lakes

Crimea surprises not only with its pristine azure coastline, but also with its incredible mountain views. And, among the peaks, there are picturesque mountain lakes. For example, there is a turquoise lake in the Gaspra area.

And this ancient Inkerman quarry lake carries the memory of the stay of St. Clement there. In the 1st century AD, this disciple of the Apostle Peter worked in local tunnels and baptized people.

4. White Rock

This chalk cliff rises majestically above the valley of the Biyuk-Karasu River in the central region of Crimea. And it gave its name to the whole area – ‘Belogorsky’, which quite literally means ‘White Mountain’.

Interestingly, one side of the cliff is steep, while the other slope is gentle, so you can climb to the top on foot or even get there by car. In Soviet times, many movies were filmed here, including ‘A Man from the Boulevard des Capucines’ (1987), ‘Strictly Business’ (1962) and ‘The Headless Horseman’ (1973).

5. Aivazovskoye Park

Pines, cedars, cypresses and hundreds more exotic plants and flowers stun with their many aromas. And all this with a sea view! This heavenly place (and it’s quite often dubbed ‘paradise’!) is located in the village of Partenit near Alushta.

The landscaped park with sculptures, antique columns and marble stairs is one of the most unexplored places in southern Crimea. It is located on the territory of the Aivazovskoye sanatorium (named after the famous marine artist) and you can walk along the shady alleys while enjoying birdsong.

6. The Old Sevastopol Road & the ‘Grand Canyon’

This is one of the best routes for a road trip in Crimea. The historical highway runs from Sevastopol to Yalta and it was built in the 19th century under the leadership of Count Vorontsov, the then local governor-General. Before that, it was only possible to get to the southern coast of Crimea by sea.

This scenic route passes through the Baydar Pass and the so-called ‘Crimean Grand Canyon’, untouched by man, piles of boulders and stones with waterfalls and karst baths with emerald water.

7. Fortress town Eski Kermen & Manhup-Kale

There are several ancient fortress and cave towns in the mountainous area near the village of Bakhchisarai. One of the most interesting is Eski Kermen, which archaeologists believe was founded in the 6th century by the Byzantines. By the 12th and 13th centuries, it was a prosperous city, well fortified from enemies. But, later, the troops of the Golden Horde still destroyed the fortress and Eski Kermen did not restore its former greatness.

Manhup-Kale is a medieval fortress city that stands on an inaccessible cliff in the Bakhchisarai area. These places bear the imprint of many eras: from the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman period and then the Russian Empire. And the complex of Mangup caves, the longest of which reaches 230 meters, will reveal a lot about the ancient people who once resided there.

8. Eupatorian Kenassas

One of the most unusual sights of western Crimea is the prayer complex of the Crimean ‘Karaites’ in Yevpatoria. ‘Karaites’ is a small Turkic-speaking ethnic group that professes Karaism, a branch of Judaism.

Prayer houses – kenasses – were built in the 19th century and even Emperor Alexander I visited them.

9. Lake Donuzlav

Scientists believe that this partly freshwater partly salt lake was once just a bay. And now, it is separated from the Black Sea by only a small sand spit.

Donuzlav, Crimea’s second largest lake, is also the deepest and longest (which is why it is also believed that this is the bed of an ancient river). Rare plants grow there and many birds listed in the Red Book of endangered species nest there.

10. Cape Tarkhankut

One of the most recognizable sights of this cape in the west of Crimea is the Tarkhankut Lighthouse, built in the early 19th century.

Today, this place is popular among extreme sports enthusiasts. Windsurfing and kiting competitions are regularly held there.